I think the rope was there for the other newer climbers there that day. Hes done the route 50+ times without falling, so he just decided to solo it. I dont know why he didn't take off his harness and stuff, but the little bit of friction that he got from grabbing the rope probably saved him.

Stupid? maybe. But how many times does someone fall soloing and live to tell about it? let alone not even get hurt. Lets not forget all the Soloists out there that we all idiolized who lost their lives because of it. Derek Hersey fell on a 5.8, while he soloed half a dozen .11's every day. Would you call Alex Honnold stupid? If you would, then you just dont get it.

Stupid? maybe. But how many times does someone fall soloing and live to tell about it? let alone not even get hurt. Lets not forget all the Soloists out there that we all idiolized who lost their lives because of it. Derek Hersey fell on a 5.8, while he soloed half a dozen .11's every day. Would you call Alex Honnold stupid? If you would, then you just dont get it.

No, you just don't get it. No one is calling Hersey (who fell off a 9+, not an 8 btw) or Honnold stupid. We're just calling this idiot in the video stupid. Why exactly was he soloing that route - with a TR rope on it, with a bunch of spectators? That's just showing off (aka jacking off) and stroking his ego - not exactly good reasons to solo a route. While not wishing anyone harm, perhaps if he had sustained an injury he so richly deserved, perhaps he'd have learned a bit of humility. Instead we get a bunch of footage of him yucking it up cause he didn't get maimed or killed.

I think the rope was there for the other newer climbers there that day. Hes done the route 50+ times without falling, so he just decided to solo it. I dont know why he didn't take off his harness and stuff, but the little bit of friction that he got from grabbing the rope probably saved him.

Stupid? maybe. But how many times does someone fall soloing and live to tell about it? let alone not even get hurt. Lets not forget all the Soloists out there that we all idiolized who lost their lives because of it. Derek Hersey fell on a 5.8, while he soloed half a dozen .11's every day. Would you call Alex Honnold stupid? If you would, then you just dont get it.

I'm not impressed.

The grade of the climb is really irrelevant. In the dialog I heard somebody say how someone fell off a 5.8. But the blond kid (???) can climb harder? So what?

What really matters is the height of the fall. This goes back to the definition of bouldering. If you're willing to jump off, you're bouldering. If it's too high for you to jump, it's solo climbing.

The kid tried to save himself by grabbing the toprope on the route. I'm sure it was only incidental. Anyway it didn't work, he could not keep it. Could his hands possibly survive that grab?

And what about his hat? I know it's cool to wear a funky hat, especially when you're out playing with your friends. But where I play, everybody wears a helmet.

I was happy to see him land OK. Thinking back to my childhood, I fell a couple of times, at least that high, maybe more, and I still don't know how I survived. But that also depends on the terrain. In those days I played in barns, and trees. Today I play on crags with talus. Those boulders are dangerous.

Also the climb was impromtu, I don't believe he planned it, he just held onto his balls and jumped onto the route.

The real value of this post (thank you, CrazyPetie) is to show us that anybody can do stunts like this, that it is risky, and not necessarily deadly. But it is stupid.

. Would you call Alex Honnold stupid? If you would, then you just dont get it.

Honnold is the man, Son! Obviously this guy doesn't get it, and quite frankly I don't solo, so I don't pretend to get either.

If you look at someone like Honnold, he'll go and solo Half Dome and tell nobody. Why? Because he does it for himself. I heard an interview with him (this is going back sometime) on podclimber, and he even said he only told his one buddy that had belayed him the day before.

Honnold solos for himself and I think that's why you solo, not to try and pick up that blonde chick he almost hit on the way down...

what an inspirational video. this is probably the guy that chopped the bolt off the Orange Dihedral at NRG cause he could lead a 5.8 sport route clean. that is so badass.

i hope i can one day climb hard free solo like that over a top rope. must be a pretty free feeling...being up there on the rock, straddling that rope... with everyone around watching and two cameras rolling...

I predict the next winner of the darwin award. many congratulations in advance.

I don't get this - why is he an asshole? I understand the comments concerning foolishnesss and stupidity, but saying he's an asshole doesn't make sense.

It seems to me it was the classic sitting around with friends talking and climbing and suddenly, for a number of reasons, soloing the route seems like a good idea, so he hops on. he didn't pull the rope probably because people were going to do the route after him, but maybe he also wanted to be able to grab it if he got sketched.

Either way, I'm glad he was okay both for his sake and the sake of the beginners present. Seeing something like that turn out badly can fuck with you for years...

Pete, mind clearing up why the rope was there and how he decided to solo it? Was it because of the cameras (who hasn't ever fallen prey to being a little extra showey to the lens?) or just because he wanted to or whatever? did he decide to keep the rope there or did he just not bother to pull it?

I don't get this - why is he an asshole? I understand the comments concerning foolishnesss and stupidity, but saying he's an asshole doesn't make sense.

Listen to the shit stream flowing out of his mouth.

Meh, I don't think it's asshole-ish. He says some stuff about getting more and more confident/cocky about your soloing ability (which I think is a point he made clear by decking the fuck out) then some stuff about JB being a badass (true) then some stuff about it ebing an addiction but he isn't addicted. Whatever. Not genius status but I still wouldn't call him an asshole. Maybe it's a different insult where you're at, but over here it means someone is mean, unpleasant and not a good person.

What do you want to bet that he's not going to forget that day for a while.

Yeah I'm sure he tried not to show it in front of his friends but I'd wager he laid awake for an hour or two that night.

I'm sure his friends will remember that for awhile too. Some folks can brush stuff like that off but it sticks with most people for a bit, which is a good thing. That whole climbing without a rope business ain't no joke.